New findings help explain fish diversity mystery

New findings help explain fish diversity mystery

Source: futurity

2/14/2023

New findings help explain fish diversity mystery

Credit: NOAA's National Ocean Service

The ability of fish in temperate and polar ecosystems to transition back and forth from shallow to deep water triggers species diversification, a new study finds.

Fish, the most biodiverse vertebrates in the animal kingdom, present evolutionary biologists a conundrum: The greatest species richness is found in the world’s tropical waters, yet the fish groups that generate new species most rapidly inhabit colder climates at higher latitudes.